“Get well, Big Papi!” - Throwback to actor Cuba Gooding Jr. surprising the media by wishing a speedy recovery to MLB HOFer David Ortiz amid sexual abuse trial
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. had kind words to say about MLB Hall of Famer David Ortiz amidst his charges of sexual abuse in 2019.
'Big Papi' was shot in his home country of the Dominican Republic on the evening of June 9, 2019. Gooding Jr. showed his support for Ortiz after walking out on bail after pleading not guilty to charges of sexual abuse. He said:
"It’s been a long day. Get well, Big Papi!”
Cuba Gooding Jr. struts out of court, offers support for David Ortiz after arraignment trib.al/V9HVxnY https://t.co/yedcOFnMpi
Gooding was accused of sexually abusing a woman during a boozy Sunday night at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge in June 2019. Meanwhile, Ortiz's wounding occurred while he was sitting at an outdoor bar with friends in Santo Domingo. The assailant shot Ortiz in the back while on a motorcycle. Officials had Eddy Feliz Garcia, 25, a suspect in custody who had previously been arrested for drug possession in 2017.
Previously, Ortiz had spoken about the lack of security in his homeland and how dangerous it was when he visited with family. He has lived with his wife and kids in Miami since retiring from baseball in 2016.
David Ortiz opens up on life back in his native homeland
In 2015, David Ortiz spoke to ESPN about his country and the lifestyle he was brought up in as a kid. He added that the people there are "very loving" and take very "good care." He said:
“I like to go to my country, and I know that people love you and take care of you,. But [the street hustlers] are doing their thing, and they are not in their right mind, no matter who is who, and I do not want to walk with an AK-47 over to a car there, I do not want to go full of guns there because I’m not a gunslinger, and I’m not a problem of any kind.”
In 2021, Luis Alfredo Rivas Clase, the mastermind behind the attack, was shot to death in the Dominican Republic. Ortiz also had to go through over 48 hours of surgery after getting shot at point-blank range. His rehabilitation from the injury came from home, including the employment of full-time nurses and a personal physician.